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Germany battered by Canada at WBC qualifiers

Jimmy Van Ostrand carries Shawn Bowman of Team Canada after winning game one of the World Baseball Classic Qualifier at Armin-Wolf Baseball Arena in Regensburg, Germany. (Sebastian Widmann/Getty Images)

It was cold enough that players could see their breath -- 5 degrees Celcius -- weather that Canadians are used to.

With one out in the seventh Tyson Gillies of Langley, B.C. hit a solo homer and the hit parade was on as Team Canada scored 12 times in the final three at bats for a 16-7 win over Germany at Armin-Wolf Baseball Arena in Regensburg, Germany.

Canada will play the winner of Sunday’s Great Britain-Germany game for Monday’s winner-take-all final for the right to advance to next spring’s third World Baseball Classic.

After Gillies homer against Germany's Luke Sommer -- who pitched at double-A Tennessee this season -- London’s Brock Kjeldgaard singled, Toronto’s Tim Smith tripled to right, Jimmy Van Ostrand of Richmond, B.C. had an RBI single and Adam Loewen of Surrey, B.C. singled, Then, Shawn Bowman of Port Moody, B.C. greeted former Chicago White Sox lefty Will Ohman with a run-scoring single and Chris Robinson of Dorchester, Ont. did the same.

Van Ostrand hit a three run homer in the first and a solo shot in the third. Rene Tosoni of Coquitlam, B.C. hit a grand slam in the ninth and Ryan Lennerton of Langley, B.C. hit a solo homer in the eighth.

Right-hander James Avery of Moose Jaw, Sask. started and allowed four runs in 2 2/3 innings.

Van Ostrand finished with a 4-for-6 day and five RBIs. Loewen, Bowman and Gillies all had three hits on the day. Smith tripled and singled, while catcher Robinson had two hits.

Robinson took over for Cole Armstrong of Surrey, B.C. who tore his Achilles tendon rounding first base and is gone for the remainder of the tournament.